When one spends a day at the zoo, they may expect a little excitement, a little curiosity, and an awesome chance to see some of wildlife's most vibrant, odd, and fascinating creatures. What you don't expect is to fall into the pit of a lion's den and have your clothes and body parts ripped to shreds. Although you're likely in the vast majority that has never had the unfortunate luck of experiencing such a high-stakes standoff against nature's greatest predators, there are some who have not been so fortunate. For every photographer leaning just a little too closely over the edge than they should be, there are major zoo accidents waiting to happen. Catastrophic zoo deaths make crazy news stories because they're actually so rare. But even some of the most experienced wildlife trainers, biologists, and veterinarians have had some very, VERY bad things happen to them at the zoo.
#1 Harambe Gets Gunned Down to Save Toddler
A four-year-old made national headlines when he accidentally sneaked past his mother and protective fences at the Cincinnati Zoo in 2016. Unfortunately, the little boy found himself smack dab in the middle of the gorilla enclosure with a 450-pound silverback gorilla named Harambe. Zoo officials eventually had to shoot and kill the animal to protect the child (tranquilizing it could have caused an adverse, violent reaction). Some argued that the gorilla was actually trying to protect the child, although police were worried about his less-than-gentle dragging of the boy across the enclosure. The moral of the story? Keep an eye on your children at all times, especially at the zoo.
As for Harambe, the gorilla's death has unexpectedly sparked a rabid fan base, inspiring countless memes, artwork, and various other forms of Internet media. Much to the Cincinnati Zoo's chagrin, Harambe's martyrdom has motivated Internet users to troll the zoo's social media presence. The Cincinnati Zoo has since shut down their Twitter account in an attempt to make #justiceforharambe stop trending.
#2 Binky the Polar Bear Bites Back
If you want to get up close and personal with Binky, then be prepared to face the consequences. After attacking Kathryn Warburton, an Australian tourist visiting an Alaskan zoo, Binky achieved unprecedented fame. Warbuton had jumped a few railings to take a better photograph of the polar bear, but Binky didn't seem to like the flash. Binky stuck his face through the railings and chomped down on Warbuton, breaking her leg. The polar bear kept the woman's shoe as a souvenir for three days until zoo keepers were able to safely retrieve it. Warburton donated the relic to a local bar, and Binky reached peak stardom. Merchandise and memorabilia featuring the polar bear's face became popular after the story received heavy media attention.
#3 Mila the Elephant Stomps the Yard
New Zealand zoo owner Helen Schofield was making arrangements for the 7600-pound elephant Mila to transfer to a new home. When Schofield entered Mila's sanctuary, the gargantuan pachyderm became frightened after braising an electric fence bordering the enclosure. Spooked by the currents, Mila grabbed Schofield with her trunk, ultimately crushing her midair, all to the horror of a live audience. Schofield died from her sustained injuries. After the traumatizing incident, wildlife experts became concerned about what to do with Mila. It was eventually decided that she would be transferred to the San Diego Zoo, where she would be quarantined and progressively incorporated into the rest of the elephant herd. Jenny Chung, Schofield's sister, attended Mila's arrival to confront the animal that took her sister's life. Chung expressed that there were no hard feelings, stating that deep down she knew that Mila didn't intend to hurt Helen.
#4 Man Releases Animals from His Private Zoo
Terry Thompson was known for preserving and collecting rare, exotic animals for his private wildlife refuge, located on his estate. However, right before Thompson committed suicide, he made the decision to release his array of jungle beasts onto Zanesville, Ohio. After receiving reports from witnesses who saw the animals unleashed, police were forced to respond. Unfortunately, many of the animals were displaying extreme aggression, and the county feared their proximity to the public. Zanesville police had no choice but to shoot the majority of the escaped animals dead, which resulted in the event being dubbed the Zanesville Massacre. Wildlife experts expressed grief at the loss of so many animals that are on the verge of extinction. Turns out it's not so fun free the animals from the zoo after all.
#5 Tilikum Thrashes a Seaworld Trainer
Focus of the controversial documetnary Blackfish, Tilikum the Killer Whale has spent the majority of his life living in a contained bubble. Weighing at nearly 12,000 pounds and identifiable by his signature curved-dorsal fin, Tilikum is likely Sea World's most famous "Shamu" in the run's history. However, Tilikum isn't known for his fun, showtime playfulness, but rather his unprecedented aggression, formed after having spent over half his lifetime in captivity. Neither his first outburst nor instance of visible hostility, Tilikum reached peak recognition when he killed Dawn Brancheau, considered a very experienced trainer, during a live performance. When Brancheau leaned in to give Tilikum a belly rub, the enormous whale leaped up and grabbed her by the waist. After thrashing her around, Tilikum repeatedly dragged her through the water, drowning her. Tilikum had previously been involved in multiple deaths and attacks against trainers, but Sea World officials still kept the dangerous creature around for the delight of the guests.
#6 Bengal Tigers Maul a Zoo Cleaner
In 2008 at a Singapore zoo, Nordin bin Mongdong was going about his usual day as a zoo cleaner. Noted by onlookers as moseying his way through the Bengal tiger habitat, Mongdong had been sweeping the moat around the tigers' home. But when a group of the Bengals lunged at Nordin, visitors could do nothing but scream. According to sources, tourists watching the scene yelled at Mongdong to leap into the water, but it was too late. When workers finally were able to break Mongdong away from the Bengals, his injuries were far too serious, leaving no hope of saving his life.
#7 San Francisco Tiger Escapes Its Cage
On a particularly unhappy Christmas, Tatiana the tiger mauled San Francisco Zoo visitors after escaping from her sanctuary. Although this was not Tatiana's first time attacking someone, it was her first time leaping a 20 foot wall and 15 foot moat to do so. Tatiana preyed on three attendees, killing one of them. Advising people in the area to take cover, police entered the premises, spotted Tatiana chilling by one of the survivors, and shot at her. The open fire killed Tatiana and ruined everyone's Christmas.
#8 Melody the Tapir Gets Maternal
When Lisa Morehead made her morning rounds to feed Melody the Tapir, the hog/pig-like creature bit off more than the Oklahoma zookeeper bargained for. After reaching into a two foot opening to place food in the enclosure, Melody latched onto Morehead's arm and pulled her into the cage. Morehead's arm was severed by the beast and was deemed too "mangled" to reattach. Reasons for Melody's sudden and unexpected aggression are not entirely clear, but most officials and animal professionals have chalked it up to maternal instinct. Melody's two-month-old baby tapir was also in the cage with her.
#9 Pack of Wolves Feast on Lone Biologist
Hired as a caretaker to a new pack at the Wolf Centre of a wildlife preserve in Ontario, Patricia Wyman's body was found only a day after beginning her new role. Having only been in the the Wolf Centre two times prior, Wyman had reportedly expressed a few concerns about one of the wolf's behavior. Police and medical examiners arrived to find her body stripped naked of its clothes, but relatively intact. Apparently the pack of wolves circled the police when they arrived, even growling at them. Reports came to the conclusion that Wyman must have fallen, causing the wolves' predatory instincts to kick in.
#10 Jabari the Gorilla Attacks a Group of Children
At Dallas Zoo, Jabari the Gorilla was actively being taunted by guests observing the giant primate. While zoo officials failed to explain how the massive gorilla escaped his habitat, witnesses have claimed that he somehow climbed the 16 foot wall to attack onlookers. Jabari unleashed a rampage throughout the zoo, attacking four people, one of which included a child. At one point, Keisha Heard looked on in horror as Jabari placed her 3-year-old son, Rivers Noah, in his mouth and shook the child violently. Despite Jabari's rage, everyone involved in the attack, although injured, made it out alive. However, a SWAT teamed was forced to roll in and take out Jabari. Unable to keep up with Jabari's great escape, policemen were forced to shoot and kill Jabari after nearly 40 minutes of hot pursuit.
#11 Nyanga the Lion Ends Early Retirement in More Ways Than One
Parys Zoo Farm, a wildlife breeding farm located in Johannesburg, called Joe Ramonetha out of retirement to help care for the lions living there. In a hallway typically inaccessible to the animals, Nyanga the Lion, also known as the "witch doctor," confronted a surprised Ramonetha. The caretaker was promptly attacked by Nyanga, and died quickly from the bites he sustained. Unsure of how Nyanga managed to enter the passageway, officials decided a gate must have been left unattended. Nyanga's life was spared: she was shot with a tranquilizer, and was eventually relocated to a sanctuary elsewhere.
#12 African Wild Dogs Catch Fallen Toddler
While spending a day at the Pittsburgh Zoo, two year-old Maddox Derkosh got too close to the railing's edge of an African Wild Dog exhibit. The toddler fell over into the netted area of the enclosure and was immediately attacked by a group of canines. Derkosh's parents looked on in terror as their son was mauled to death by the animals. The African Painted Dogs were scattered away after zookeepers intervened, but one dog refused to leave Derkosh's body, forcing security to open fire on the animal. Derkosh's family came to a settlement with the zoo a few years later, despite defense arguing that it was the parent's neglect which caused the child to fall.
#13 Drunk Man Gets Mauled by Monkeys
One weekend, Joao Leite Dos Santos decided to day drink at the zoo, leading him to make the rash decision to jump the monkey pen at a Brazil zoo. Dos Santos waded his way through the monkey moat in an earnest effort to grab a hold of the spider monkeys' hands held out at the end of the water. When Dos Santos finally reached them, the highly pissed off monkeys began biting and scratching Dos Santos's exposed torso. Instantly regretting his decision, Dos Santos rushed back and was helped over the railing's edge by other visitors. He blamed the incident on being drunk and wanting to cool off. Go figure.
#14 Gu Gu the Panda Gets Three Strikes
Gu Gu the Panda isn't known for his friendly smile or his welcoming attitude. Worst of all, rumor has it that Gu Gu has quite a nasty bite, having chomped down on not one, not two, but THREE tourists who all tried jumping into the panda's play pen. You can't exactly blame Gu Gu here: these people were essentially asking for it, claiming to be inspired by "curiosity." During the third attack, Gu Gu's jaw had to be pried open with tools because he refused to let go of the dad who jumped the fence's leg. As you can tell, Gu Gu had had enough already.
#15 Berlin Polar Bear Refuses to Let Woman Leave Pen
At a Berlin zoo, another person decided it would be a fantastic idea to jump into the polar bear exhibit. Startling the Berlin bear, he attacked the woman almost instantaneously. While biting at her back, the woman, who clearly regretted her decision, attempted to flee the scene. Seeking help, the onlookers above tried their hardest to pull the woman back up from the moat, but the polar bear kept tugging her back down. Ultimately, the woman escaped and is incredibly lucky to have survived.
#16 Karate Master Tries to Fight King of the Jungle
After some encouragement from his instructor, Ellie Quo was under the impression that he could fight any animal with his bare hands. Following some martial arts training, Quo decided to test his theory in action. In the dead of night, the martial arts "master" proceeded to sneak into the Melbourne Zoo, jumped the lion's den, and tried his damnest to take on the King of the Jungle. Clearly overestimating his strength, Quo was pummeled and maimed by the lion. His hands were found the following morning, and not much else.
#17 Tiger Rejects Bouquet of Flowers in Favor of Dinner
Never give a tiger flowers. They'd much rather be wined and dined. Two men, Prakesh Tiwari and Suresh Rai, had drunken themselves into enough of a stupor that they believed a tiger at an Indian zoo named Shiva was the holy god of destruction. In a humble moment of vulnerability, the two men purchased a floral arrangement to garnish the tiger's neck with. When they jumped the fence to the tiger's abode, Shiva wasn't too pleased. The tiger attacked both men, killing Tiwari, all to the gaping faces of those watching above.
#18 Monkeys Play Monkey-in-the-Middle With Man's iPhone
Like many unfortunate people, Zheng Dong had his iPhone stolen. But unlike many unfortunate people, Dong had his torn from his hands while trying to take some pictures of monkeys at the Fuzhou Zoo. Not too pleased by the theft and ensuing laughter, Dong tried his hardest to get the Apple product back. When zookeepers finally retrieved the device, the phone was crushed and damaged to pieces.
#19 Drunk Woman Feeds Bear Her Fingers
When a woman and her boyfriend decided it would be a cool idea to get wasted at the zoo with their 3-year-old daughter, naturally things went awry. After stumbling upon the bear exhibit, the woman thought herself both capable and chill enough to climb over the railing and hand feed the animals. Obviously she was neither capable nor chill enough, because the bear bit off her fingers and refused to release his grip. Her boyfriend was also bit in his feeble attempt to pry the bear's mouth open. The lady lost two fingers and partially severed another two.